Construction and method of assembly of sheet metal doors



June 30, 1931. G. TRAUTVETTER CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY OF SHEET METAL DOORS Filed June 27 1923 INVENTOR.

VETTER.

ATTORNEY.

m G. mm P C "I F 95 \lzm 5 1 F an O 8) .F 2 2 F o w M n2 wm m GEORGE T B2 Patented June 30, 1931 "UNITED STATES GEORG TRA'UTVET'IER, or PHILADELPHTA. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TFEDWAEE G. BUDD MANUFACTURING GQMP ANY, PORATION-DF PELN'NSYLVANIA.

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COB- consrnuc'rrorr AND METHOD or ASSEMBLY OF SHEET METAL DOORS,

Application filed .Tune 27,

This invention relates to sheet metal door construction and to a method of assembly of doors so constructed out of sheet metal, the invention being particularly adapted for use in connection with doors of the class shown in Ledwinka application Serial No. 230,703 for automobile door, filed November 3, 1927.

It is an object of my invention to construct a door of this class made of relatively few major stampings, comprising outer and 1nner panel stampings and opposed glass run channel stampings each extending around the window opening of the door, in which the stampings are relatively simple and inw ich they are so conformed as to be readily brought together in assembled relation for the speedy assembly of the same; and to combine them in such order and in such sub-assembly units as to render their assembly very easy and rapid;

and finally, to make" the door so constructed and assembled exceedingly strong, rigid and durable even if constructed, as contemplated, of relatively light gauge stampings, and in which substantially all joints are hidden so 2 that substantially no finishing operations are required on the door so assembled.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one embodiment of a door constructed and assembled with a view to the accomplishment in a very high degree ofthe objects of the invention above-mentioned in them.

Fig. 1 is an outside elevational view of a door constructed and assembled according to the invention. I

Figs. 2, 3,4 and 5 are detail sectional views taken on the respectively numbered lines of Fig. 1.

Figs..6 and 7 are sectional views similar to Fig. 3 illustrating, an intermediate stage of 4c the assembly.

Fig. 8-is a sectional view similar to Figs. 6 and 7 showing the final stage of the assembly of the bringing together and joining of the parts shown separately in Figs. Sand 7.

The door of my invention is comprised in the main of four unitary stampings, an outer. panel stamping 10, and inner panel stamping 11, and outer and inner glass run channel frame stampings 12 and 13 respectively,

- 60 each extended around the window opening 11).

192s. 'Serial no. 288,712.

the door. The outer and inner panel stamp ings are given the form and extent ofthe door as in the prior construction above referred to, the inner panel being laterally extended to provide the jamb face portions 14" of the door and the outer edges of the j amb face portions are flanged as at 15 to form the door overlap.

In the margins of the window opening the outer and inner panel stampings are respectively,'provided with angular seats 22 and 23 and beyond said seats with flanges 16 and 17, which prior to assembly extend transversely of the bodies of the ganel stampings as indicated in dotted lines 11 Figs. 6 and 7, but are crimped down over the adjacent edge of the glass run channel stampings in the final assembly, as shown in full lines in the draw- I in'gs.

The glass run channel stampings are gen erally of channel cross section, particularly in their side and top portions the channels facing toward the central plane of the door.

The sidewalls 18 and 19 of the inner and.

' stampings 12 and 13 are extended, in t eir tops and sides, parallel to the jamb face portions of the inner panel, and secured thereto.

At the hinge and lock sides of the'door they overlap each other through a substantial area to provide a strong jo'inder not only to each 7 other but also to the jamb face portions of the inner panel. At'the lock side, the jamb rail portion is rabbeted at 33 andtheinner glass rim stamping has its outer side wall 27' formed with a flange'27 providing an angular seat which nests withthe rabbeted portion 33 of the jamb rail portion of the inner panel stamping.

At the top the outer side walls 26 and 27 are not deeper in this region than the inner side walls of the channel sections and are secured to the amb face portion of the inner panel on opposite sides of the slot 28 provided in said, jarnb face portion to permit the removal or insertion of the window glass through the top of the door.

structure which strengthens the door in this region.

The door construction as described is very conveniently and expeditiously assembled by the following method, and when assembled, forms a very strong, rigid and durable door, which is yet light in weight because made of relatively light gauge sheet metal stampings.

By this method of assembly, the inner and outer glass run channel stampings 12 and 13 are first brought into a nested relation with the outer and inner panel stampings 10 and 11 respectively,-this as indicated by the sectional views. In the case of the outer'panel stamping 10 and the adjacent lass run stamping 12, the angular seat 22 o the outer panel extending around the window opening nests readily with the angle formed by the side wall 18 and edge fiange'20 of the channel section glass run stamping when the parts are brought together asin an assembly jig, and the outer panel 10 and outer glass run channel stamping 12 are then readily and firmly secured together by crimping down the ange 16 from the dotted line position to the full line position in which its edge 16' engages the inside surface of the side wall 18 ofthe channel stamping, and thus securely locks the joined elements together to form the unitary sub-assembly, a typical section of which-is shown in Fig. 7.

Similarly, the inner panel stamping 11 and the inner glass run stamping 13 are readily brought together as in a suitable assembly ig, so that the angular seat 23 nests with the adjacent angular portion 18, 21 of the glass run stamping and the outer channel wall seats against the jamb face portion 14 of the inner anel at top and sides, the angular portion 2%, 27' of the stamping, see Figs. 3 and 6, nesting with the rabbeted portion 33 of the jamb face portion 14 at the lock side of the door. The arts 11 and 13 are then securely joined to one the unitary sub-assembly shown by the typical section shown in Fig. 6 by spot welding the outer channel wall 27 to the jamb face portion 14 of theinner panel at sides and top and by crimping the flange 17 of the inner panel down over opening.

the flange 21 andadj acent portion of the side further effected by spot weldlng the side wall 27 of the opened channel section portion at the bottom of the window glass run stamping to the bod portion of the inner panel at 31, thereby orming the box section struc ture above referred to.

The door is finally assembled by bringing the two unitary outer and inner sub-assemblies represented by the typical sections of Figs. 6 and 7 together, as in an assembly jig, so that the door overlap flange of the mner panel stamping seats in the angle formed by the body of the outer panel and its peripheral flange 34, which, before final assembly,

projects laterally to the body of the panel as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. The

flange 34 is then crimped down upon theflange 15 forming a firm crimped jolner entirely around the door. If desired, the crimped joinder so formed may be made additionally secure by spot welding at a few places as indicated on each side of the door in Fig. 8. The sub-assemblies are further secured together, as by spot welding the overlapped side walls 26 and 27 of the side portions of the window glass run channels together as indicated in Fig. 8, and by spot 'welding the side wall 26 at the top portion of the stamping to the. jamb rail portion 14 at the top of the door as indicated in Fig. 4.

By so constructing and assembling a door made of but a relatively few sheet metal stampings may be asembled with great dispatch, because of the openness of construction so well suited for joinder by welding, and the crimped oints are all readily formed in such manner that the edges of the-metal are normally hidden in the final assembly of the door, and because in bringing the parts together they readily fall into place for joinder, and the door when assembled has all the qualities desirable in automobile doors as above pointed out.

at I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A unitary sub-assembly 'for sheet metal doors having a window opening therein comprising a unitary face panel stamping extending around the window opening, combined with a unitary glass ruh channel stamping also extending around the window opening and forming one side of a glass run, and joined to the'panel in the margin of the 2. A sheet metal glass run channelstaiflping for vehicle doors extending entirely around a window opening provided in said of the plane of the door, the outer side walls of the channel section side portions being extended beyond the inner side walls and adapted to overlap and be secured to a transverse jamb rail portion of the door.

3. A unitary sub-assembly for sheet metal doors having a window opening therein comprlslng a unitary face panel stamping extending around the window opening, combined with a unitary glass run channel stamping also extending around the window opening and forming one side of a glass run, and joined to the panel in the margin of the opening by crimping. I

4. A sub-assembly for sheet metal doors having a window opening therein comprising an inner panel stamping extending around the window opening to form the garnishment around said opening arched in section combined with a unitary glass run channel stamping of generally channel section nesting with the portion of the inner panel extending around the window opening and secured thereto in the margins of said opening by crimping and in the outer margins by weldmg.

5. A method of assembly of sheet metal doors having a window opening therein and comprised of inner and outer panel stampings extending around the window opening, and inner and outer glass run stampings of generally channel section in their side and top portions, and also extending around said opening, WhlCh consists in joining a side wall of said channel section glass run stamping, respectively, to the adjacent edge of its associated panel opening by crimping the edge of one over the edge of the other to form inner and outer sub;

finally joining said sub assembliesby crimping the outer margin of assemblies, and in the outer panel over the outer margin of the inner panel and joining the overlapped adjacent side walls of the channel section glass run channel stampings.

6. A method of assembly of sheet metal doors having a window opening therein and comprised of inner and outer panel stampings and inner and outer glass run stampings, each extending around the window opening, and the inner panel stam ing forming transverse jamb faceportionso the door,which consists in joining each panel stamping to its adjacent glass run channel stam mg by crimping their edges together in t e margms of the window opening to form sub-assemblies, in joining the inner glass run stamping to the transverse jamb face portion of the inner panel stamping, whereby outer and inner sub-assembly units are formed, and in finally joining said outer and inner sub-assembly units by crimping the panel stampings together in their outer margins and in joining the outer overlapped portions of the glass run channel stampings, as by welding.

in the margin of the window 7. A sheet metal door having a window opening therein comprising a face panel stamping extending entirely around the w1ndow opening and formed in said window opening with an angular seat, and in its side portions with transversely extending jamb face portions, at least one of which is pro vided with a shoulder, combined with a glass run channel stamping also extending around the window opening and having complemental portions engaging said angular seat and shoulder, and rigidly secured thereto.

8. A sheet metal door having a window opening therein comprising a face panel stamping extending entirely around the window opening and formed in said window opening with an angular seat and having a body portion extended in the plane of the door below said window opening, combined with a glass run channel stamping also extending around the window opening and having complemental angular portions engaging signature.

GEORGE TRAUTVETTER. 

